by Lindsay H. Jones, USA TODAY Sports

by Lindsay H. Jones, USA TODAY Sports

CHICAGO ‚?? This time, there were no smiles for Brandon Marshall as he stepped up to the interview podium.

Just days ago, the Bears' wide receiver was talking about having hope, comparing the Bears' season to the Charlie Brown Christmas tree, and talking about how playing the Green Bay Packers would be the biggest game of his career.

Yet in the bowels of Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon, Marshall was near tears, frustrated with himself and his teammates after a 21-13 loss to the Packers, who, with the win, claimed the NFC North title that just a month ago seemed to be easily within the Bears' reach. The Bears have lost five of six games since their 7-1 start, and face the possibility now of not reaching the playoffs at all.

"Everybody involved in offense should be held accountable, even if that means jobs," Marshall said.

In a brief post-game press conference that lasted only four questions, Marshall said the word "accountable" four times. It's a word that will be repeated here in Chicago plenty of times in coming weeks, as pressure mounts on head coach Lovie Smith, quarterback Jay Cutler (who fell to 1-8 in his career against Green Bay) and the rest of the Bears who have now lost six straight games to the Packers.

"It wears on me. It wears on everyone," Cutler said. "You don't want to lose to your rival year-in and year-out. Then it's not a rivalry anymore. It's domination."

Cutler threw another interception Sunday, his 14th of the season, and his 17th in nine career games against Green Bay. Cutler took responsibility for the interception on a pass intended for slot receiver Devin Hester, refusing to blame the error on a miscommunication or incorrect route. Cutler, who left last week's game against Minnesota early after suffering neck and knee injuries, admitted he isn't healthy, but said he will play next week at Arizona.

It is of little surprise that the Packers' recent domination in this series began about the time Rodgers became the starting quarterback. In 11 starts against the Bears, Rodgers has led the Packers to nine wins. Rodgers has completed 70% of his passes in those games, and has thrown 19 touchdowns to only eight interceptions.

Rodgers threw for three more touchdowns against the Bears, each to James Jones, and passed for 291 yards after overcoming a dismal first quarter in which had as many sacks (two) as completions (two, for five yards). Receiver Randall Cobb, helping fill in for injured receiver Jordy Nelson, had six catches for a career-high 115 yards.

Combine that with a just-good-enough running game -- the Packers' trio of tailbacks combined for 94 yards ‚?? and a defense that didn't allow a third-down conversion, and there is no reason why the Packers' shouldn't be considered contenders in the NFC.

Since a 2-3 start that included early losses to San Francisco and Seattle, the Packers' only blemish came in a 38-10 loss to the New York Giants on Nov. 25.

"There's nothing more fulfilling. This is Step 1 of clinching the playoffs and knowing that you've got a shot now," said center Jeff Saturday, who clinched plenty of division titles in early December in his 13 seasons in Indianapolis. "Next step is trying to get some home field. That's not always in our hands, but if we keep winning games, we'll make it hard on the people in front of us."

Packers players happily wore their new NFC North champions hats as they left Soldier Field late Sunday afternoon. Many of these Green Bay players were part of the Super Bowl champion team two years ago, yet there was no shame in celebrating this win ‚?? especially against a rival that as recently as last month seemed to be on track to end Green Bay's streak of division titles.

"I'm not a drama-queen, but it is great that we won a championship today," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said.

The game itself was not without drama.

Marshall, who said this week he was taking the match-up against the Packers "personally" after being held to just two catches in the first meeting in September, scored the game's first touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Cutler. Marshall broke at least two tackles on his way to the end zone, and when he got there, he launched the ball into the north end zone seats.

Marshall had only three catches after that second-quarter score. Cutler looked for the Bears' other big receiver, Alshon Jeffery, four times, yet came away with no completions. Jeffery, a rookie, drew flags for illegal contact and defensive pass interference before being penalized three times for offensive pass interference. The first of those three calls, with 22 seconds left in the third quarter, nullified a one-yard touchdown catch.

Green Bay cornerback Tramon Williams, who spent much of the game matched up on Marshall, applauded the game officials for making the calls against Jeffery. On one of the calls, it was clear Jeffery had grabbed the facemask of cornerback Sam Shields.

"It's getting harder and harder, year in and year out for a (defensive back) to play because guys know what they can get away with, but (the referees) came through today," Green Bay corner Tramon Williams said. "They made the right calls that they were supposed. And for that reason, we won the game like we should have."

The Packers held a 21-7 lead early in the third quarter, but a fumble by running back Ryan Grant -- the 10th forced fumble of the season by Chicago cornerback Charles Tillman -- and Green Bay's special teams issues allowed the Bears to pull back to within one score by late in the fourth quarter.

Green Bay made the baffling decision to try a trick play on a fourth-quarter punt return. Cobb caught the punt and rather than run, threw a backwards pass to teammate Jeremy Moss. Moss couldn't catch the ball, and Chicago recovered at the 16-yard line.

But the Bears could only turn those two Green Bay mistakes into two field goals by Olindo Mare, signed last week to replace an injured Robbie Gould.

McCarthy said he would not be making a change at kicker, even after Mason Crosby missed two more field goals Sunday. He pushed a 43-yarder wide right, and had a 42-yard attempt bounce off the left upright. Crosby has missed 12 of his 29 attempts this season.

"He is our guy," McCarthy said. "He needs to make those kicks. He knows that."